KOCHI: The power struggle within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) escalated dramatically on Friday, with three members of the outgoing executive committee resigning in open rebellion against president Shwetha Menon, even as a court temporarily barred the ad hoc committee from functioning.
Vice president Jayan Cherthala and executive committee members Joy Mathew and Kailesh formally submitted their resignations, distancing themselves from Shwetha a day after she insisted that her executive committee remained the only legitimate governing body of the organisation.
In a social media post on Thursday, Shwetha dismissed the ad hoc committee headed by actor-MLA Ramesh Pisharody as "illegitimate," asserting that under AMMA's bylaws only one committee could exist.
"Our committee should continue until fresh elections are held, and a new committee takes charge," she wrote.
On Friday evening, Shwetha secured temporary legal relief after the Ernakulam Munsiff Court issued an ad-interim injunction restraining the ad hoc committee from functioning until further orders.
Acting on her petition, the court barred the respondents from claiming to function as members of the ad hoc committee, convening meetings in AMMA's name, or passing resolutions on behalf of the association.
The case will be heard again on July 13.
However, Shwetha's stand drew sharp criticism from actor Usha Haseena, who accused her of clinging to power despite losing the confidence of the general body.
"Please stop trying to justify this by playing the 'woman card'. This is the very committee that collectively targeted and attacked a young woman. That committee has absolutely no moral standing to invoke the woman card," Usha said, adding that the circumstances surrounding Mohanlal's resignation were entirely different.
She also warned that if Shwetha continued to hold on to the post, "we, the women, will unite and march to the AMMA office. We will stage a satyagraha protest."
Jayan Cherthala said the resignations were submitted now as part of the formal procedure after the ad hoc committee maintained that it had not received the resignation letters announced on June 21.
"We had publicly announced our resignation on June 21. Since the ad hoc committee said it had not received the letters, I formally submitted mine on Thursday," he told TNIE.
The 16-member executive committee, led by Shwetha Menon and Kukkoo Parameswaran, had announced its resignation after the June 21 general body meeting, less than a year after being elected in August 2025.
According to Usha, the general body overwhelmingly voted against allowing the committee to continue after it failed to present satisfactory accounts and reports.
"When members were asked if they wanted the present committee to continue, only around 17 or 18 raised their hands. An overwhelming majority voted against it," she said.
Even as the legal battle unfolds, a section of AMMA members believes Shwetha's move is aimed at retaining control long enough to rectify the association's financial records.
The crisis was triggered after members questioned the expenditure of Rs 67 lakh on AMMA's annual family get-together, setting off one of the association's bitterest internal battles in recent years.